Toy train sets have become popular with children of a great variety of ages and experience levels. Such train sets have included simple unpowered trains manipulated by the child user as well as gravity-powered train sets in which an elevating launching platform is coupled to an angled track portion to provide acceleration of the train set. Directly powered train sets have included those using a locomotive having a wind-up motor drive as well as electrically powered locomotives such as battery power or electric current applied to the train track. The character of such train sets has varied from fanciful cartoon-like structures to sophisticated extremely realistic train models. The track sets utilized by such train sets have enjoyed equal variety ranging from simple single loop configurations to multiply looped complex track sets with interconnecting switches to provide multiple travel paths.
In attempting to meet the needs of consumers, practitioners in the art have provided a virtually endless variety of toy train track sets. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,679 issued to Law sets forth a XYLOPHONE TYPE TOY in which a musical toy railroad includes a track composed of sound emitting bodies. The toy vehicle moving along the track strikes the sound emitting bodies and produces a musical tune.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,001 issued to Bolli, et al. sets forth an ACTUATING DEVICE IN A TOY TRACK ASSEMBLY in which a switch point for a toy cog railway having smooth tracks utilizes a centrally disposed gear rod comprising a shifting device with a curved and straight gear rod piece for providing driving direction. The shifting device which supports the gear rod pieces is laterally displaceable with respect to the track direction and a tonguelike actuating element is disposed within a longitudinal slot. Each actuating element is coupled to a rotating mounted disk by way of pivoted levers which in turn are coupled to the shifting device. The vehicle which travels on the switch point actuates the switch in the protruded or extending position.
German Patent 2,237,640 sets forth an ELECTRIC MODEL TRACK using a two track two conductor method in conjunction with simplified switches. The track layout may includes loops, figures of eight and asymmetric junctions. The electrical current is supplied through the track rails or overhead cables or a combination of both.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,943 issued to Hussein sets forth a MODEL TRAIN CROSSING GATE having a detector circuit which employs two pairs of magnetically operated relays positioned on either side of a gate crossing along a set of tracks. In addition, a single magnetically operated relay is located at the grade crossing and is oriented orthogonally to the pair of relays. The locomotive of the model railroad is equipped with a first magnet for operating the pairs of relays and at least one car has a second magnet for operating the relay at the grade crossing. The control circuit responds to the relays to operate the gate and crossing lights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,152 issued to Barlow, et al. sets forth a CONSTRUCTION TOY WITH REVERSIBLE TRACK HAVING SOUND PRODUCING MEANS in which a construction toy includes a base portion having a grid defined thereon by a plurality of substantially vertical grooves for use in combination with accessory articles. The grooves defined on the grid are arranged to intersect at right angles each pair of which defines a track section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,777 issued to Arai sets forth a VARIABLE TRACK FOR A TOY VEHICLE having a plurality of pliable bed sections and a pair of pliable rails. The rails are removably attached to the bed sections in parallel spaced apart relationship to form the course of travel for the toy vehicle. The track may be shaped as desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,063 issued to Genin sets forth a MOTORIZED SHUTTLE TRAIN having a track layout which includes a turntable adapted to link any one of a group of sidings to a steep track section leading to the top of an elevator tower.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,236 issued to Ernst sets forth a SWITCH, ESPECIALLY DOUBLE CROSS SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC TOY AND MODEL RAILROAD INSTALLATIONS for use in model railroads having conductive tracks carrying operating current for the locomotive. Conductive plates are provided which extend closely to the central portion of the switch and which within the switch form electrical current conductive surfaces for contact with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing over the switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,242 issued to Rosenthal sets forth a MOUNT FOR TOY RAILWAY UNITS having a planar support bed and wheeled structure supporting the bed for receiving and supporting a railway track. A similar structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,241 also issued to Rosenthal.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,885,366 issued to Martini sets forth a RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH in which a pair of track sidings are coupled to a pivotally supported rail switch along each rail. The switch is pivotable between alternate positions to switch an oncoming train to alternate track sidings.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,840,914 issued to Ottenstein sets forth a TRACK FOR TOY VEHICLES having linearly arranged intersecting track segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,736,487 issued to Cooper sets forth a TOY RAILROAD TRACK having an intersecting switch defining a general X-shape operative between parallel sidings. The X-shaped track intersection includes movable switch elements which transfer a train vehicle between track segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 434,692 issued to Williams sets forth a STREET RAILWAY SWITCH for use on intersecting track segments includes a pivotally supported circular track switch having alternate paths defined therein which is rotatable between first and second positions to switch a train vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 413,593 also issued to Williams shows a similar structure.
In a related art, toy vehicle race tracks have shown similar track-like structures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,611 issued to Arsenault sets forth a TOY ROADWAY TILE in which a plurality of tiles having track or roadway portions defined therein are interlockably coupled to form track patterns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,515 issued to Bolli, et al. sets forth a TRACK SYSTEM FOR TOY VEHICLES while U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,966 issued to Mucaro, et al. sets forth a VEHICLE JUMP FOR A TOY VEHICLE GAME. U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,897 issued to Soulakis, sets forth an INTERSECTION DEFLECTOR FOR TOY VEHICLE TRACKS while U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,947 issued to Cooper sets forth an START FINISH MECHANISM FOR RACING GAME.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,377,958 issued to Bax, et al.; 3,313,242 issued to Voce; 3,206,122 issued to Frisbie, et al.; 3,205,833 issued to Fitzpatrick; 3,117,755 issued to Kretzmer, Jr.; and 2,866,418 issued to Petrick, Sr. set forth a variety of toy vehicle raceways or roadbeds having multiple track portions and transition elements between the track portions.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have enjoyed certain levels of success and consumer acceptance, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved track sets for use with toy trains and the like.